A/N: Feedback of any kind is welcomed and appreciated! Enjoy!
—-
When Tarrlok roused from his slumber, his bleary eyes immediately settled on her. He couldn't make sense of what happened, let alone why he was awake at such an hour considering the moon still filtered through the curtains. Yet even with a muddled mind, he couldn't believe what had transpired all those hours ago. They were tempted and they indulged in the night yet again. Although this time, with one another.
He was hypnotized.
From the warm touch of her lips under his to the scalding trail of her hands against the surface of his body. Gentle and teasing compared to her usual forcefulness. From the sensation of her hips gyrating against his to the almost aggressive way she wanted more as he sheathed himself within her, crying out his name. Spirits, his name. He relished it, savored it. He didn't know if this was a one and only occurrence or if she had an inkling of what emotions he hid from her were, and what he had hoped for.
Perhaps she already knew? Perhaps that's why she reveled in mocking him at every chance she received. It only made sense given the events prior to their coupling. Their so-called 'lessons'.
In retrospect, he'd been relatively flagrant with wanting her affection. Lust or love, whatever he could get from her was more than what he expected in his lifetime.
Tarrlok tried to keep his desires at bay, simply to sate her lust first, yet he couldn't stop himself from rapidly falling into greed, into carnility. He chalked it up to the fact that he hadn't taken someone, hadn't felt flesh and blood writhing in ecstasy beneath him since he first met her at the Air Temple, but he knew he was lying to himself. No. It was the feel of tight muscles fluttering around him, utter silkiness and stifling heat wrapped around his cock, that there truly wasn't hope for him at that point.
But as he laid motionless as she fell asleep at his side, Tarrlok couldn't help but entertain the jumbled mess of his thoughts, let alone the variety of emotion splayed out before him. He'd been ashamed that he took her, that he'd been her first simply due to the fact that she deserved better. She didn't need a corrupt, bloodbending politician; she needed that firebender she held a fondness for. But then he realized it wasn't his place to know what sshe 'needed'. Instead, a swell of pride rushed through him considering he was the source of her pleasure, of her ecstasy, of her budding affection for him. Then ultimately, the utter content that she even decided to share such a moment with him.
Regardless, witnessing her now - starkly exposed just as he was underneath his sheets as her back pressed against his chest - was a welcomed sight. She was snoring rather loudly, though Tarrlok found that detail all too endearing. Then again, seeing her this relaxed was endearing in of itself.
Her brows weren't pinched in tension or cocked in mischief. Her lips were merely parted a fraction rather than curled into a smirk that she learned from him, or pursed in thought. Her eyes, as beautiful as those cerulean orbs were, were delicately closed. He never thought the word delicate connected with Korra, yet the juxtaposition intrigued him. Especially when slivers of moonlight danced across her soft face.
With a glance out the window over his shoulder, it had to be nearly three in the morning. Maybe even four. Why he wasn't still asleep was beyond him. After their night together and the pressing matters within the city, he needed the sleep, but his mind was evidently fixated on staying awake.
Gently tucking the stray strands of hair stuck to her forehead behind an ear, Korra roused from her sleep. Immediately, Tarrlok tensed. He'd hoped it was light enough that she wouldn't have woken, yet glazed cerulean gazed back at him, twinkling attractively in the moonlight.
A pause. Then a slow blink. As if she were processing what had happened.
No words were spoken, however, something else glimmered in her eyes.
It must've been the enticing clutches of slumber still clinging to her that made him mistake that look. Surely, it was. He'd only seen it a handful of times, though that was in regards to his reflection with past lovers. Despite it, Tarrlok felt himself unconsciously moving closer to her, closing the small distance and capturing her lips in a lazy, lingering kiss.
Dazed delight rekindled when she gently covered her hand over his and guided it towards the one place his tongue and cock explored. Lethargically, teasingly, she trailed his hand from the curve of her waist, down her toned stomach, and finally settling at the center of her interest. Lazily, the cadence of their kisses matched the patterned circles he created over her clit. He was tender with her, keeping himself idle until he traveled down the side of her neck as her pulse fluttered underneath his lips and wetness pooled at his fingertips.
Intrigued and adamant, he tightened the circles until she groaned in frustration and all but pinned him to the mattress.
Time escaped their grasp as they lost themselves to the rhythm of their kisses, to the rhythm of their hips, and he was utterly surrendering to her ministrations.
Tarrlok was entranced, enraptured by the feel of her. Once again, she straddled his hips. However, this time, he braced himself with one hand buried in sheets behind him while the other curled around her waist as he wedged deep within her. Bleary eyes, darkened with lust gazed down at his own while she ground herself against him harder and harder, mimicking him and circling an arm around his neck as the other tugged at his tangled strands to keep his eyes locked on hers.
Strangely, this felt more intimate than the previous hours. Perhaps it was the sight of her vulnerability, her blatant desires splayed out in cerulean, or perhaps it was the utter closeness of her body pressed flush against his own that they almost moved as one. Tarrlok wasn't quite sure, yet he couldn't deny he was mesmerized by her.
Soft moans were muffled against his lips, her hardened nipples grazed heated trails against his collarbone, as she bounced in his lap, jolting him enticingly. Ardor sparked with each thrust, though as he guided her down just as he thrusted up, Tarrlok noted the pitch in her cries growing less inhibited and more heedless. He smiled in response.
Pumping and groaning. Clawing and moaning. Faster and faster. Until it suddenly crashed and a wave of euphoria rushed in their veins. They were shivering in each other's loose embrace, limbs entangled in the muss of sheets once more as she collapsed atop him.
Exhaustion creeped into their blood that moving a muscle was nothing but a chore. Indulging in the intimacy, Tarrlok wrapped his arms loosely around her waist and almost immediately, sleep enveloped them like a blanket.
Yet just as rapidly, Tarrlok roused once again with a slight jolt. Sunlight was only beginning to peek over the mountains, and shockingly, the Avatar was still with him, though this time, nuzzling his chest beside him. Smiling, he gently shook her. "Korra, it's time to wake up," he said groggily, pressing a kiss to her shoulder as his hair seemed to have tickled her nose.
"Mmph," she yawned. "What time is it?" She asked, stretching out luxuriously like a feline, and hearing delectable cracks of her joints popping. As endearing as the sight of her rubbing the sleep out of her eyes and the tangled mess her dark strands were, Tarrlok broke his gaze from her and glanced at the bedside clock.
"Almost five thirty," he answered.
Cerulean shot wide open and her body immediately bristled. "Shit!"
Silk sheets were flung off her body and onto him, nearly smacking him in the face in the process as she hurriedly padded her way around his bedroom. Presumably in search of her undergarments.
Maybe he should get up as well.
Tarrlok slipped into his discarded briefs and rifled through his drawers to find a pair of sweatpants and quickly adorned them. Following the scantily clad Avatar hastily making her way to his office, he ran his fingers through his mussed tangles and stifled a yawn. When he reached his office, he folded his arms across his chest and leaned against the doorframe.
Halfheartedly, he realized how much of a mess they truly made the night before. From his own clothes wrinkled and heaped, to the pai sho tiles scattered on his rug and untouched wine glasses. Nevertheless, he couldn't bring himself to care much when he simply observed her donning those completely divergent clothes. Even if the scent of sex clung to their skin, Tarrlok allowed his eyes to indulge in the view, roving appreciatively over her lithe body.
She looked absolutely stunning.
It was the way he sensed her pulse pounding against her chest as she clothed herself - more than likely due to him watching her silently. It was the way she stumbled and trembled with anxiety. It was her mere appearance, evidently mussed and poorly attempting to quell what questions Tenzin and the White Lotus guards might've had… or perhaps even those little airbending ghouls that were even more attentive than their father.
However, something conjured at the back of his mind.
"Korra," he uttered softly, which she responded with a rapid hum. "I know you're in a rush, and I don't intend to ruin the moment, but have you thought of any contraceptive methods?" He asked, nearly wincing at the fact that he more than likely sounded like an asshole for bringing this up after their coupling. But he had to digress. It was better that either one of them said something before another something began growing. And it was best they were on the same page rather than assuming.
Korra slowed her movements, blindly buttoning the clasps of her shirt with cerulean holding his own. "No, I thought you did," she said almost inaudibly, sheepishly.
Tarrlok scratched his jaw, feeling stubble grace his skin. "Well, I usually make tea for both my partner and I, but I didn't think we'd do anything last night… or this morning." He smirked, despite himself.
A snort was heard as she shrugged the vest on and made her way to his front, mirroring the teasing lilt in his voice. "Tarrlok, if you wanted me to stay longer, you could just say that. Although, I don't think Tenzin would appreciate it." She replied with a smile.
He chuckled at that. "Tenzin doesn't appreciate anything I do regardless." Korra harrumphed in response, but as the silence stretched, Tarrlok searched her face. "Korra, I'm serious, I don't think both of us want something surprising out of this, correct?"
"No…" From what he could detect in her pulse, it was the truth, thankfully.
"It'll be quick, I promise." He smiled and pressed a kiss to her cheek.
As he brewed their tea, he felt her eyes on him even as his own incessantly flickered towards the clock. Perhaps it was the fact that he was still shirtless that had her admiring gaze lingering on his bare back and chest… and even down to his ass. Or perhaps it was her merely attempting to stray the slightest bit longer with him. He didn't know, but he relished the attention, as subtle or blatant as she made it out to be.
It'd only be a few minutes until the water came to a boil - a detail Korra said she could make faster with her firebending, and he nodded for her to do as she pleased. She cradled the pot in her hands as she leaned against the edge of the counter, chewing at her lower lip when he caged her in his arms. His lips brushed her own, yet just as he wanted to capture her in yet another kiss, she uttered mockingly, it's done.
Leaves were seeped into the steaming water and when it was poured into porcelain cups, they quickly gulped the tea in a few healthy swigs. Immediately, Korra winced, visibly shivering in aversion that he couldn't stop the amusement from showing. She had punched him in the shoulder for that, however, his eyes unconsciously flickered to the clock once more. A quarter to six.
He told her so and her eyes widened in panic.
When she hastily slipped past him, beginning to lace her boots near the front door, Tarrlok cleared his throat. "Do you want me to take you to the docks? It isn't that long of a ride and going on foot might take you awhile."
Korra shot him a knowing smile. "I appreciate the offer, really I do. But I don't want to get us busted looking like this, and I doubt you do either." Cerulean trailed over his leaning body, though she lingered a fraction of a second longer on his groin before meeting his own in challenge.
Teasingly, his lips stretched into a smirk. "Am I really that vile?"
"Tch, you know the answer to that." She stood from her crouched position and tucked his disheveled hair behind an ear, though he doubted that truly did anything with how messy his locks were. It was endearing nonetheless, especially the sight of her chewing at her lower lip and almost shyly pulling away, though he didn't mention anything of the sort. "Look, I'll see you soon." Warm, plump lips pressed against his in a kiss, before she opened the door and stepped into the sunlight.
Just before he closed the door, he caught sight of her warily crossing the street and offering that crude middle finger of hers to him. However, the grin on her face told him she was more than willing to play this game.
That morning and the few succeeding days passed in a hasty blur.
From what she recalled from the rush of gliding down the streets as fast as she could muster, she arrived back at the Air Temple with just a few minutes to spare. It was fortunate that she didn't stray a second longer at Tarrlok's - even though she wanted to with how absurdly alluring he was - because she ducked and wove through the trees to go undetected by the White Lotus guards. They weren't much help in that regard anyways considering she managed to slip past them numerous times now. At the Air Temple and the compound since she moved there.
But still.
Korra had just enough time to look somewhat presentable in her regular clothes, chucking Asami's embarrassingly wrinkled garments to the corner, that the need to run a bath was nearly unbearable. She grabbed her towel and opened the door, only to discover the airbending kids strolling down the hallway.
One was gesturing wildly while the other two simply walked behind and nodded, though it didn't take long before they all began to talk over each other with increasing rowdiness.
Korra rolled her eyes as she slipped past them. She was thankful they didn't question her at the time, let alone have the audacity to comment on the way she stank of sex and sweat and Tarrlok. But that wasn't the point. Grateful was she that they were too occupied with their own squabbles to truly notice her edging into a tub of nearly boiling water to relax her muscles.
Korra merely shrugged then. Tenzin could wait the ten minutes she submerged herself in water.
It's been a few days since then, and she hasn't caught a glimpse of those three distinctive ponytails since that morning. She wondered if he was deliberately ignoring her, but then she realized that was ridiculous. He was a weasel-sneak through and through, and she doubted he'd stop pestering her just as she did to him after a night together.
Regardless, it must've been the Council meetings he mentioned the weekend before.
Tenzin did seem to be even more grouchy compared to recent weeks, though she simply chalked it up to having to deal with Tarrlok on a daily basis. In this case, she supposed that detail didn't change, but he had been leaving more frequently in the mornings.
Korra shook her head. That wasn't her business.
Instead, she took a deep breath in and mildly recoiled at the smoke filling her lungs as she passed the few people puffing on cigarettes and chortling loudly at their own conversation. She strolled down the relatively crowded path with Asami at this downtown area she'd been raving about. She wasn't quite sure what she was doing or what they were doing, though silently walking with her friend was oddly comforting.
"So, what exactly are we looking for?" She asked as she leaned forward with slightly narrowed eyes. They've been walking for the better part of fifteen minutes in relative silence and if she didn't know better, Korra would've assumed they were just taking a walk through the city to pass time.
"It's a small type of 'hole-in-the-wall' eatery. My father said he used to take my mother here before she… you know… They have comfort food from all over the world. He says it's really good and reminds him of the time he and my mom visited the Fire Nation together." Asami replied, viridian searching the wedged buildings between numerous boutiques and full restaurants.
"Hm," Korra nodded, mimicking her friend in search for whatever this place was. She still didn't know what she was looking for, but she assumed it must've looked similar to the stalls at the market they visited before. "What about Mako and Bolin?"
"Oh, uh, they said they'll meet us there because of some stuff with payments for them living in the arena. I don't know. I think it's just another excuse for Bolin to get that milk tea he's been obsessed with." She shrugged, giggling.
Korra followed suit. Bolin had been going on and on about Flameo Tea since before she gave into the impulse of mentioning it to Tarrlok. A part of her wished he told them that beforehand because if the brothers were paying a visit to the cafe, she wanted her usual order. Though that must be asking for too much.
Instead, she pursed her lips and swung her arms, allowing her mind to wander into the territory she's been indulging in each night. Her last 'lesson'. Blindly, Korra followed Asami as she mulled over the Councilman. It wasn't the first time she dwelled on it, the fact that she gave her first time to Tarrlok, of all people.
She always assumed it'd be with someone other than him. Maybe with Howl or even Mako. It was at the back of her mind since her crush on Howl at the compound, though she didn't expect it to go anywhere. And it didn't. But apparently it was enough for her mom to notice. As embarrassing as it was, her mother brought the subject up a few years ago, giving her that talk and mentioning that it was her choice whether or not she wanted to wait until marriage to experience something so intimate. Her only request was for her to be with someone who cared deeply for her and the same as she.
Korra wasn't having it at the time. And she still wouldn't if her mother brought it up again. No, no, no. She'd rather die out of mortification than listen to her mom talk about that, and inadvertently think of her parents doing that. She shivered in aversion, utterly repulsed.
Despite it, she was in many ways grateful that it was Tarrlok. Of course, before all of this began, she would've thought she was crazy for even entertaining the thought of doing something so intimate with him. He was a duplicitous and annoyingly smug politician that worked alongside Tenzin.
Nothing more, nothing less.
Yet along the way, within their lessons, Korra knew she grew a bizarre fondness for him. At first, fascination melded with her natural curiosity, but it grew rapidly from some form of innocence to the same lust she held for Mako. At times, he'd be endearing and striking. Then the next second, she wanted nothing more than to bend some water onto his face and slap him with it.
But maybe that was the appeal.
Regardless, she couldn't deny that his experience had helped her. The more she thought about it, the more she relished being just as active as her partner, however, that night she had to make an exception. She was fond of the push and pull of their relationship, even in bed, unspoken or completely blatant.
But then her mind wandered into dangerous territory, as if she hadn't already indulged in that part of her brain repeatedly. Since that night, she'd been laying in bed, restless. Korra tried to resist the temptation that lurked underneath her bed, yet she couldn't handle the deafening silence and her uneasy nerves. She flipped through the magazine once more out of nothing but curiosity and mild fascination. Both Tarrlok and Asami had been right in regards to the fact that some of the advice was utterly ridiculous, while some seemed genuinely fun, though one had her repeatedly lingering on the fine print.
"Hey, um, can I ask you a totally random question?" Korra blurted without thinking.
"...Sure?" Asami answered. Judging from the glint in viridian, Korra already knew she was in deep shit for even saying anything.
"How do you…" She drawled, trying to think of a way that didn't sound like she was actually interested in the topic.
"How do I..?" Her friend drawled as the silence stretched, sidestepping a kid that backed away from their parents.
Huffing, Korra scratched at her jawline in mild irritation. Spirits, why was it always so difficult attempting to talk about this stuff with other people. It was the same as the time she brought up lessons in seduction with Tarrlok, but at least she could easily get him just as annoyed as she was compared to Asami. Sighing, she wilted and quickly blurted, "How do you go down on a guy?"
Korra winced at the sudden wave of awkwardness in the silence.
"I-um, Korra? Is this about..?"
Bristling, Korra shook her head repeatedly. "N-no! I just- I'm just curious! It said in that magazine I bought, and I just got… curious." It wasn't a complete lie when she really was just curious, however, that information could be stocked away for later use down the line if she continued these lessons with Tarrlok.
Well, with whatever was left with these lessons, that is.
Apparently that was a good answer, because Asami visibly relaxed. It wasn't nearly as awkward as Korra made it out to be, but listening to her friend talk about this, in some weird way, did seem to quell whatever questions she did have on the act itself. If she were speaking with Tarrlok, it'd end up with her cheeks burning and him endlessly teasing her with that stupid smirk on his face and in his voice.
Instead, Korra nodded. She took what she could get from her friend even though it didn't dawn on her until late into the conversation that she might've done these things on Mako. No, no, no. She shook her head, freeing herself of the mental image.
As much as she didn't have any qualms with them anymore, she didn't relish the thought of picturing them doing the exact same things her and Tarrlok were engaging in just those few short days ago. And she didn't doubt Asami felt the same way about her relationship with Tarrlok.
"Oh, speak of the devil." Asami muttered with a somewhat sly smile.
Korra followed her line of sight and caught a certain Councilman stepping out of a boutique. He wasn't wearing his coat, though he did adorn his usual work clothes that appeared a little rumpled from what she could see down the path. Was he okay? Sardonically, Korra snorted to herself. Was he ever okay? Of course not. Instead of his typical arrogance, he looked a little frazzled.
Smiling at such a great opportunity, she hastened her steps by a fraction and felt Asami follow behind her warily.
"Tarrlok?" She asked, crossing her arms underneath her bust and jutting her hip out almost smugly.
Tarrlok turned and immediately smirked. "Ah, what a pleasant surprise, Avatar Korra. Miss Sato." He greeted them with a slight bow and a diplomatic smile. Pale blue shifted between her and Asami, but he didn't seem to be at all wavered by the fact that Asami was beside her, let alone knew - to an extent - what type of relationship they held for one another.
An audible gulp was heard from her friend. Viridian flickered between her and Tarrlok repeatedly until she released a nervous chuckle. "I think I saw Mako and Bolin. I'll be over there," she said awkwardly, pointing with her thumb back down the path and taking that as a way to leave.
In a blink of an eye, Asami was gone. If it were possible, a cloud of dust would've been trailing behind her with how fast she managed to leave. Korra shrugged to herself, she supposed this was what she expected.
Pale blue glanced over her head, lingering on her friend in mild bewilderment, before meeting her own happily. "Does Miss Sato know?" He asked, gesturing for her to follow if she wanted.
Korra strode alongside him, and once again blindly followed her companion. "She knows there's something going on between us. She kinda figured it out, but not… you know… that." Well, at least, she hoped she didn't know. The last few days certainly wasn't an indicator, though with the knowing glint in viridian before she dashed away, she could almost see the wheels in her brain turning. If she did, at least it was her connecting the dots rather than Korra telling her outright like what happened in her friend's bedroom.
She didn't think she could take that embarrassment.
"Mn," he nodded in response. What that meant was beyond her comprehension, however, with a sidelong glance at the man, he was nothing but pleased with his handiwork with what they did together.
Korra rolled her eyes. Of course he was.
She wasn't complaining in the least, especially if she got her release as a result, considering Asami's offhand comment, let alone stories of men not knowing how to please women and whatnot.
With pursed lips, Korra shot him a pointed gaze and nudged his elbow with her own. "What about you? Do your friends know? Knowing how much you talk and considering I'm the Avatar, I have a feeling you have, just to brag."
"Do you really think that little of me, Korra?" Tarrlok asked. At the sound of that lilt, and the way he couldn't keep his mouth shut, surely he'd let something slip, right? She could almost see him breathing in nicotine and drowning in wine at the Blue Bearcat, lips loose and practically boasting something to those friends of his that he called nothing more than 'acquaintances'. It was one thing if he were sober, but witnessing him tipsy was another. Offering him a skeptical expression, Tarrlok wilted. "I swear, I haven't. And even if I wanted to, what would I tell them? That I'm bedding the Avatar because she wanted to learn about the art of seduction?" He prodded quietly for only her to hear.
"I don't know, but not that!" She laughed, shoving him hard enough that he nearly toppled over into a stand of cabbages. Tarrlok quickly apologized to the vendor, but with one pointed glare towards Korra, he pouted like a wounded Naga. It was cute on Naga, but she couldn't really say the same for a thirty-eight year old Councilman… but the longer she gazed upon his face, the more she had to reluctantly concede. Okay, maybe it was a little adorable. Maybe. Despite it all, Korra smiled. "So, what've you been doing out and about here? Looking for more risque shops and asking about that strap-on?"
His brows rose. "No, have you?"
"Tch, no." Korra said, her voice betraying her that she really had been as subtly as she could muster. The shop, not the toy, of course. However, her search had been for nothing considering she hasn't seen one since she arrived with Asami.
"Right," Tarrlok uttered, his baritone completely skeptical of her blatant lie. She assumed he'd tease her about it more, but instead, he merely smiled. "Actually, I got a few things tailored and since it's just a little ways down, I thought I could purchase some groceries on the way out." He said, vaguely pointing towards the rather large market at the end of the street they were rapidly edging closer to.
Korra harrumphed, nodding. "Gonna make more seaweed noodles that we barely got to eat?"
"No, I was thinking maybe sushi or vegetable wraps. Unless the great Avatar wants me to make her something specific the next time she pays a visit." He whispered, leaning the slightest bit closer to her as they wove through the crowd. Some were merely talking in a halfassed circle of sorts, while some were boisterously laughing around them as if they were nearing inebriation.
Then Korra thought. His blatant hint that she'd be visiting him again in the near future made her want to punch his shoulder, though she refrained because she knew at the back of her mind it was true. As much as she didn't want to confirm his suspicions, she went with the first dish that popped into her brain, humming.
"Maybe arctic hen. I haven't had that in a while." She smiled enticingly, tapping her chin with pursed lips.
Tarrlok shook his head. "Of course, you'd want that." His smile stretched into an outright grin and showed those irritatingly pearly whites.
Scoffing, Korra folded her arms and gazed at him, offended. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing," he beamed smugly, holding the door open and gesturing for her to enter.
Her mild offense quickly dissipated at the sound of an endearing bell as they entered the market. It wasn't as large as she expected, especially compared to the street markets she visited with Team Avatar, yet it was rather sizable regardless. Cerulean scanned their surroundings with her muscles gradually growing taut as Tarrlok grabbed a discarded basket to his left.
They'd entered from the side where fresh produce were sold, while the rest of the market was littered with aisles full of a variety of packaged food. She'd never really been to one of these markets before - most of the grocery shopping was done by Pema or the nomads, and her parents from what she recalled, however her father usually hunted for their meat - yet it felt strangely comforting when she strolled alongside the Councilman doing something so… domestic.
In all honesty, aside from the sex, she was seeing different sides of the Councilman just in this past week. She kind of liked it, the constant surprise.
Korra licked her lips and followed him as he made a beeline to the fruits and vegetable aisle. It wasn't nearly as crowded as it was outside. Maybe a fraction compared to the throng that lingered on the sidewalk, yet her eyes nervously inspected the area.
Most were too preoccupied with their own grocery shopping, while others seemed to be gone in some stupor as they waited in line to pay for their items. Yet she couldn't stop the thought of the tabloids catching them doing something so innocent after their night together. But they didn't know that.
Korra nudged his elbow once again. When he glanced at her, she gestured for him to lean closer and he acquiesced. "You're not afraid some reporter will take our photo?"
A terse exhale was released from his nostrils and opted to straighten his spine. "I'm sure they will, but I doubt anything newsworthy would come out of it unlike that time we were at that speakeasy. It's just groceries, Korra." The implication in his voice seemed to suggest otherwise, even as he all too innocently picked up a paper bag and considered his options with a bunch of bundled enoki mushrooms. With a single, sidelong glance from him, Tarrlok smiled. "Unless you're planning on flirting with me so brazenly out here when all I'm doing is picking my vegetables, I doubt there's anything they can pin on us."
She narrowed her eyes at that. He was so infuriating, yet she couldn't stop the satisfied smile that matched his own. "Oh, just me, huh?" Tarrlok hummed in response. "What makes you think I'm not planning on flirting with you right now?" She dared with a cocked brow.
Pale blue discreetly inspected the aisle as an old lady squinted at the prices for dragonfruit and another woman a little older than Korra's age was deciding between pears or plums. "Perhaps because you're afraid Tenzin will find out." He uttered softly, resolutely picking a bundle of mushrooms that, in Korra's opinion, looked just as good as the rest.
Ever the priss as always.
Korra rolled her eyes. "He already suspects something, so either way we're fucked. Also, I'm not afraid, I'm more wary of what'll happen to you if people find out."
"Aww, are you worried about me, Avatar?" He cooed with a half-lidded gaze.
The look alone was enough to send small lances of heat down her spine, but she wasn't about to give in in such a public place. Well, at least not yet, anyways. Instead, she felt the corner of her lips twitch in feigned offense that the mere thought of caring for him was an insult in of itself.
Which was completely untrue, though she wasn't going to say anything when he knew she did after all this time reading those unspoken words hanging above them.
"Shut up," she settled with lamely, the venom long gone.
Tarrlok chuckled. Another heated shiver sparked underneath her skin at the mere sound. "There's far worse controversies and gossip going on in the city if that's the case. Besides, I never said I wasn't fond of flagrant flirting. You know I appreciate the art of it. It makes seduction more fun." He said, his voice low and rumbling into her ear as he passed her and moved further down the aisle.
Acting as though the sound of his voice, let alone the sensation of his lips grazing the shell of her ear was nothing, Korra cocked her brow. "Tch, yeah, I know."
The time spent in the market was nothing more than tolerable. In fact, she was a little bored, though she learned quite a lot about his preferences in food as she followed beside him, watching him pick and choose his vegetables and fruits and what seemed to catch his eye.
They spoke of trivial things. The weather, the constant barrage of Council meetings that he complained about, the source of his irritation - either being Tenzin or Amon - and really anything that wasn't what they were blatantly tiptoeing around. The question was at the tip of her tongue, nearly waiting for any opportunity to ask when that next time would be, but she didn't want to sound like she was desperate or anything. Especially when she knew he'd only tease her mercilessly if he found out she was waiting for that opportunity.
Nevertheless, she kept her mouth shut on the subject. However, the tiniest details as he passed her caught her attention: the grazes of his fingertips trailing at the small of her back, the all too interested gazes with quelled longing glimmering in pale blue, the deliberate word play that seemed to be nothing compared to their previous flirtatious banter. No. He wasn't outright talking of sex, and neither was she - they were simply speaking of food, is all - yet the cadence in his voice lulled her into fanning those enticing flames all over again.
It was the emphasis on certain words and the tone in his voice that caused her breath to catch in her throat.
She hated that he could do that so easily. Although, it seemed to make sense considering his career as a politician.
Despite it all, lust flickered between them as they reached the butcher counter. She'd been too absorbed in their quiet banter, keeping it inaudible enough that any passerbys wouldn't hear them that she almost didn't notice Tarrlok eyeing the wrapped arctic hen.
Korra's brows rose in mild astonishment. It was nothing more than a joke, but she should've known he'd go out of his way to do this. "Oh, you're actually getting?" She asked, pointing towards the already butchered arctic hens wrapped in a film of sorts.
Tarrlok shrugged as he grabbed one and placed it in his basket, the container teetering quite heavily on its side as he cradled the handles at the crease of his elbow. "Why not? I haven't had it in a while either. My mother actually makes it on special occasions so whenever I visit she makes it for me."
She didn't know what she was expecting, but it certainly wasn't that. She wondered if this was normal. That someone as elusive as Tarrlok was with his personal life would slowly begin divulging something so private, near and dear to his heart, to her after their night together. Was that what happened after sex?
Regardless of the answer, she was interested.
Cerulean narrowed in amusement as he passed her. "Aww, Tarrlok. I never knew you were a mama's boy." She cooed as a smile stretched her lips. After that comment, it made complete sense. He might've been a man of the North, of Republic City, but everything about him seemed to have screamed of a mother coddling him until teenagehood.
Spirits, she wondered what embarrassing stories she had stowed away from Tarrlok's younger years.
"I'm not." He denied.
Korra shook her head. "Mhm, that's exactly what a mama's boy would say." She poked him in the side that caused him to flinch. What a baby, it wasn't even that hard. He shot her a glare and a pout as he picked up a few packages of flameo instant noodles and placed them in his basket.
They strayed in the market longer than they needed to be, truthfully, slowly meandering around each aisle and eyeing the goods, though it seemed Tarrlok was done with his grocery shopping. Since he brought his mother up, she pressed him for more. The muscles in his body were relaxed enough that she was at ease about asking him, yet there was something indecipherable in his gaze… maybe something considered distant in a way.
She found out his mother loved to bake and cook, that his interest in cuisine was due to her influence. It made sense, considering he was such a mama's boy, she thought deviously. Her influence wasn't merely limited to cooking, though. She had a conniving tongue just as Tarrlok, however, she didn't seem to relish in her skill as the Councilman did. Instead, she was soft-spoken.
Apparently, she loved traveling just as much as him. He'd taken her to places around the world, though her favorite seemed to be Ba Sing Se. The food and the bustle of the city were completely divergent from the North on the outskirts of the capital.
Korra paused then, thinking.
She could vaguely recall her time visiting her family in the North. She'd been too young to truly remember the visits, though it was mostly in the capital. The few times she managed to slip away, it was with her cousins as they pulled her along to go penguin sledding. Now that she thought about it, she did see huts around the area, propped up in the snow that was reminiscent of her home in the South. Before the compound, that is.
Korra shook her head.
For reasons beyond her, she couldn't stop herself from genuinely smiling at the fact that Tarrlok really loved his mother as he rambled on about her. She had to wonder what happened with the rest of his family, but from what she remembered way back on their first few dates, he had said they weren't close, right?
She couldn't quite remember, but she didn't want to diverge from the relatively lighthearted atmosphere as he absentmindedly picked up a box of fire gummies.
When silence lapsed over them and he was very obviously reminiscing about something in his mind, Korra cleared her throat. "So, when's my next lesson?" She asked, biting her lower lip.
Tarrlok was pulled out of his reverie, the firm line of his lips morphing into a veiled smirk as they rounded a relatively hidden area of the market and faced her fully. "I have some time after this weekend's Task Force meeting. Unless our impatient Avatar wants to squeeze another lesson in before then." He teased quietly, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to her cheek.
Korra shivered at his audacity. Even silently relished it. She desperately hoped no one was around lest they ended up on the papers and she got lectured to death by Tenzin all over again. But then another part of her, a devious part, hoped someone stumbled upon what they were doing, simply to get some excitement reeling in the city again. Feeling her face flushing with heat, she held his beaming gaze. "Oh, when I pay you a visit for that arctic hen?" She matched his smirk.
"Mhm," he captured her lips in another kiss, though Korra grasped onto one of his ponytails and tugged. Hard. Tarrlok winced as the kiss abruptly ended, yet the smile on her lips never vanished as if he reveled in her roughness.
Instead, she licked her lips, tasting mint on her skin, and strayed on his own. "Just to prove to you that I have patience, I'll wait for our Task Force meeting." She uttered, resolutely pulling away from him.
Tarrlok matched her smile, her grip on his hair loosening. "I wonder how long that'll last." Korra couldn't stop the laugh from bubbling at the back of her throat, let alone a hand that accidentally smacked his bicep. "Ow!" He pouted, rubbing his wounded arm.
The bastard.
—-
She was thankful that they weren't gone.
Korra had backtracked down the street and bade her goodbyes to the Councilman as he walked the opposite way. On her way back, cerulean scanned her surroundings as hastily as she could without looking like an absolute maniac.
Fortunately, it wasn't that far from the boutique Tarrlok came out of. She saw them there, Mako with a curled arm around Asami's shoulders, Asami with a wrapped arm around his waist, then Bolin gesturing wildly to the eatery they stood in front of with a hand cradling a cup of that milk tea he was so fond of, and ultimately wilting at whatever words they exchanged.
Korra hastened her pace. He was probably mentioning something about getting a head start on her, but she was determined. Nearly jogging, she met the group. "Hey, guys. Sorry, I had to babysit the airbending kids for a little while." She lied, out of breath as viridian and cerulean met in a silent exchange of acknowledgement.
As long as she didn't say anything, they wouldn't know, right?
—-
A/N: Sorry if this is a slow chapter lol